Mother's Obituary Misstated Her Affiliation

April 16, 1998

On Jan. 24, the Sun-Sentinel ran a fine obituary for a longtime resident of Fort Lauderdale, Charlotte Huntington Wood Stevens. I have recently realized, however, that the obituary contained a very serious error, for which I am primarily responsible, concerning my mother's family heritage and public life. The obituary stated that my mother was a member of the ``Daughters of the American Confederacy,'' which never was the case. Instead, it should have stated that she was a member of the ``Daughters of the American Colonists,'' reflecting a family heritage of which she was so very proud and labored long to document and bequeath to her many descendants.

May I fervently hope that, by printing this letter, you can help limit the extent to which my carelessness has damaged the public record of my mother's extraordinary life and legacy? Truth will be served; and all my mother's family, friends, students and colleagues will be profoundly grateful.